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Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the
harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that
their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the
English colonists (Pilgrims)
of Plymouth
and the Wampanoag people.
The American holiday is
particularly rich in legend
and symbolism, and the traditional fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes
turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. With respect
to vehicular travel, the holiday is often the busiest of the year, as family
members gather with one another.

Plymouth’s Thanksgiving began with a
few colonists going out “fowling,” possibly for turkeys but more probably for
the easier prey of geese and ducks, since they “in one day killed as much
as…served the company almost a week.” Next, 90 or so Wampanoag made a surprise
appearance at the settlement’s gate, doubtlessly unnerving the 50 or so
colonists. Nevertheless, over the next few days the two groups socialized
without incident. The Wampanoag contributed venison to the feast, which
included the fowl and probably fish,
eels, shellfish, stews,
vegetables, and beer. Since Plymouth had few
buildings and manufactured goods, most people ate outside while sitting on the
ground or on barrels
with plates on their laps. The men fired guns, ran races,
and drank liquor,
struggling to speak in broken English and Wampanoag. This was a rather
disorderly affair, but it sealed a treaty between the two groups that lasted
until King Philip’s
War

The New England colonists
were accustomed to regularly celebrating “Thanksgivings,” days of prayer thanking God for
blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought. The U.S. Continental
Congress proclaimed a national Thanksgiving upon the enactment of the
Constitution, for example. Yet, after 1798, the new U.S.
Congress left Thanksgiving declarations to the states; some objected to the
national government’s involvement in a religious observance, Southerners were
slow to adopt a New England custom, and others took offense over the day’s
being used to hold partisan speeches and parades. A national Thanksgiving Day
seemed more like a lightning rod for controversy than a unifying force.

Thanksgiving Day did not become an
official holiday until Northerners dominated the federal government. While
sectional tensions prevailed in the mid-19th century, the editor of the popular
magazineGodey’s
Lady’s Book, Sarah Josepha
Hale, campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day to promote unity. She
finally won the support of President Abraham Lincoln.
On October 3, 1863, during the Civil War,
Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,
November 26.

The holiday was annually proclaimed
by every president thereafter, and the date chosen, with few exceptions, was
the last Thursday in November. President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, however, attempted to extend the Christmas shopping
season, which generally begins with the Thanksgiving holiday, and to boost the
economy by moving the date back a week, to the third week in November. But not
all states complied, and, after a joint resolution of Congress
in 1941, Roosevelt issued a proclamation in 1942 designating the fourth
Thursday in November (which is not always the last Thursday) as Thanksgiving
Day.

As the country became more urban and
family members began to live farther apart, Thanksgiving became a time to
gather together. The holiday moved away from its religious roots to allow
immigrants of every background to participate in a common tradition.
Thanksgiving Day football
games, beginning with Yale
versus Princeton
in 1876, enabled fans to add some rowdiness to the holiday. In the late 1800s
parades of costumed revelers became common. In 1920 Gimbel’s department store
in Philadelphia staged a parade of about 50 people with Santa Claus at the rear
of the procession. Since 1924 the annual Macy’s parade in New York City has
continued the tradition, with huge balloons since 1927.
The holiday associated with Pilgrims and Native Americans has come to symbolize
intercultural peace,
America’s opportunity for newcomers, and the sanctity of home and family.

Days of thanksgiving in Canada
also originated in the colonial period, arising from the same European
traditions, in gratitude for safe journeys, peace, and bountiful harvests. The
earliest celebration was held in 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher
held a ceremony in present-day Nunavut to give thanks for
the safety of its fleet. In 1879 Parliament
established a national Thanksgiving Day on November 6; the date has varied over
the years. Since 1957 Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in Canada on the
second Monday in October.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

A
record 15.4 million Americans were victimized by identity theft last
year, with fraudsters netting $16 billion in ill-gotten gains, according
to the 2017 Identity Fraud Study by Javelin Strategy & Research. Since 2011, Javelin reports, identity thieves have stolen $107 billion from U.S. consumers.

Identity Theft: How Do You Know When You’ve Been Victimized?

With so much at stake, Americans may (and should) wonder: “How would I even know if my identity was stolen?”
There is no single answer to that question, as data security experts
state there are myriad signs that an individual’s identity has been
compromised. Meanwhile, cyber-fraudsters are using that data to steal the victim’s money, especially with bank account, credit card, Social Security number and tax return fraud campaigns.
“There are plenty of signs that your identity may have been stolen,”
says Robert Siciliano, an identity theft expert and CEO of
IDTheftSecurity.com. “You notice accounts you didn’t open and debts on
your accounts that you can’t explain, or you see fraudulent or
inaccurate information on your credit reports, including accounts and
personal information, such as your Social Security number, address, name
or initials, or employer.”
What other major signs raise a “red flag” that your identity has been
compromised or stolen? Here are some high-risk scenarios that worry
even experienced data protection specialists:

Failing to receive bills or other mail

This could indicate that an identity thief has taken over
your account and changed your billing address, says Siciliano. “Make
sure to follow up with creditors if your bills don’t arrive on time,”.

You’re rejected for credit

“Being denied credit or being offered less favorable credit terms,
like a high-interest rate, for no apparent reason, is a sign your
identity may have been compromised,” Siciliano says.

You’re getting bills for purchases you didn’t make

If you start receiving bills or notices of overdue payments in regard
to accounts you don’t have, you have probably become a victim of
identity theft, says Steven J.J. Weisman, a college professor who
teaches white-collar crime at Bentley University and is the author of
the book Identity Theft Alert.
“In this case, you should contact the creditor and inform them that you
have been a victim of identity theft and it is not your debt, and also
file a police report. “While there is little chance of the criminal
being caught. It helps prove that you have been a victim of this crime.”

“Again, look into the specific charges, file a police report
and demand that the fraudulent activity be stopped and the institution
reimburse you for any losses,” Weisman says. “You should also be
regularly monitoring your credit reports and all of your financial
accounts to recognize fraud as soon as possible.”.

You receive a tax transcript in the mail that you didn’t request

“Under this scenario, a fraudster logged on to the Internal Revenue
Service website and tried to get your information and couldn’t download
it immediately because some security test failed,” says Abby Eisenkraft,
chief executive officer of Choice Tax Solutions, Inc. “Consequently,
the IRS mailed it to you, instead, under the assumption you requested
the document.”

Your electronically filed tax return is rejected

This a big sign your identity has been compromised, says Eisenkraft.
“That’s especially the case if your return is rejected and there are no
typos and the Social Security number is correct. What likely happened is
that an identity thief filed a tax return in your name, claiming a fraudulent refund.”

You receive a tax refund you did not request

Here, you may get a check or pre-loaded debit card. “What happened is
that an identity thief filed a fraudulent return and will try to find
the refund in your mailbox,” says Eisenkraft.

Your employer lets you know you’ve got a data security problem

If a hacker has your Social Security number and the name of your
current employer, they can try to collect unemployment benefits in your
name. “In this case, if your company is on the ball you might hear from
someone in human resources,” states David Cox, an identity theft expert
and CEO and founder of LiquidVPN, in Cheyenne, Wyo. “Most hackers will
check your social media to see if you just quit a job or just started a
new job. With this information, they are much more likely to get away
with it for quite a bit longer. Eventually, you will hear from your
former employer or the unemployment agency.”

It’s a problem when you get a text message sending you a six-digit pin
to enter into a service or membership you don’t recognize, says Ralph
Rodriguez, an MIT Fellow, and chief technology officer at Confirm.io, a
personal data security firm. “Maybe it’s a new account,” Rodriguez
says. “Perhaps it’s account recovery for your bank. The point is you
don’t know. And it’s a very eerie feeling when it happens.”

Your credit score is actually rising

Strange, but true, Rodriguez says – a rising credit score can mean
trouble on the identity fraud front. “Check your credit reports
frequently for accounts you didn’t open and hard inquiries which could
suggest fraudsters are trying to extend credit in your name,” he
advises.

You get small “test charges” on your credit card

Hackers often place a small charge for a couple of bucks on the card
to see if it will go through before they initiate an attempt at a larger
fraud later, says Ross Federgreen, CEO of CSR, a compliance solutions
firm, and a data privacy expert. “If you have a small charge you don’t
recognize, don’t ignore it,” says Federgreen.

You get increased direct mail and phone solicitations for expensive items

The notices could be for cars, loans, and home improvement, and other
big-ticket items,” Federgreen says. “This could be the result of new
high-ticket activity run on your account.”

The history behind Veterans Day

American veterans may hear these words on Saturday, as tributes for former service members roll in in honor of Veterans Day.

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Unsure what Veterans Day is? Read on for a look at the holiday and the history behind the occasion.

What is Veterans Day?

“While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime,” the Department of Veterans Affairs says.
It explains the holiday “is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans
for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our
national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all
those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done
their duty.”
Memorial Day, the VA says, is meant to honor those who have died while serving.

What is the history behind the holiday?

The roots of Veterans Day go back nearly 100 years.
Fighting during WWI stopped on Nov. 11, 1918 due to an armistice between the Germans and the Allies, the VA notes. Nov. 11 was commemorated as Armistice Day by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, it adds.
A resolution passed by Congress in 1926, according to
the federal agency, called for Nov. 11 to be remembered every year “with
thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace
through good will and mutual understanding between nations.”
In 1938, Armistice Day was officially made a legal public holiday, the VA says.
Many American soldiers lost their lives during WWII and the Korean War. In the wake of these wars, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.VETERAN ASKS PEOPLE TO TAKE A KNEE AT VETERANS' GRAVES
In 1968, a bill was passed which
called for Veterans Day to be observed on the fourth Monday in October
starting in 1971. The change was part of a move to give federal workers
several three-day holiday weekends, the Navy History and Heritage Command blog The Sextant says online.
But in 1971, two states observed Veterans Day on Nov.
11 instead, The Sextant says, adding that over time, other states did
the same.
President Gerald Ford signed a bill in 1975 which pushed Veterans Day back to Nov. 11, with the changes taking place in 1978.
Ford said in a statement that
he felt “restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11
will help preserve in the hearts and lives of all Americans the spirit
of patriotism, the love of country, and the willingness to serve and
sacrifice for the common good symbolized by this very special day.”